It's played out in all too many ways in our sports and the media and is taught as a virtue to not only our sons but our daughters as well. In more than 90 percent of the cases men turn that anger into violence against those we love. As individuals we must recognize and acknowledge it in ourselves.

There will be a silent march for Della Dikito at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow at the state Capitol. I'm asking Bishop Larry, our good shepherd, to march with us. I'm asking my Imam Sheikh Ismail and all of my Muslim sisters and brothers to march. Also Local 5 and my Hale Koa Hotel family possess a deep need to march with us, not only against domestic violence but sexual harassment, which is another form of violence against women. Let us march together as we strive to understand and heal.

Warren Kundis
Mililani

Ban allowing people to ride in truck beds

On April 24, 2006, four women were killed in a collision on Kunia road in one of the worst traffic tragedies in Hawaii. I know this happened while the Legislature was in session. Yet not one lawmaker would even talk about it. The community should start voting new caring politicians in office.

A close friend of mine got a letter from a representative of Pearl City saying that riding in the back of pickup trucks might be banned in the 2007 Legislature. Bill 57 and Senate Bill 829 were not even heard by their respective committees. Shame on these politicians.

If we had a law banning pickup truck-bed riders these four women could have been living today.

I see kids riding all over in the back of pickups, and if a collision occurs, they would fly out like missiles endangering anyone nearby. The next Legislature had better stop this insanity before we see more deaths.

Eugene Cordero
Pearl City

Don't take legislative critic too seriously

At first glance, Gov. Linda Lingle's chief of staff's May 2 commentary, "2008 legislative session failed to deliver," seems like any other political opinion piece -- an exotic concoction of hyperbole and argument encased in a paper wrapper.

But once you appreciate that the author is Barry Fukunaga, then-deputy director at the Department of Transportation, a key player in the Hawaii Superferry saga and now Lingle's chief of staff, replacing Bob Awana, you take it all with a grain of salt. And it is that healthy skepticism that provides the antidote for ingesting too much bull and balony.

Rep. Marcus R. Oshiro
Chairman
House Committee on Finance

Army has abused Hawaii for too long

Since the United States claimed Hawaii, islands once adored worldwide for aloha, Hawaii has been used and abused by the military for war.

How different could our world be if Hawaii were a training ground for aloha instead of fighting. Where people come to learn conflict transformation techniques. Where former adversaries -- corporate and environmental leaders -- come together to find common ground; build a consensus on environmental protection and economic development. Where facilitators, mediators and community organizers come to learn to solve conflicts, where all with a stake in the outcome are invited to find win-win-win solutions.

Healing, reconciliation and forgiveness are qualities we need to learn, more than how to fire a missile. The impact of globalization is generating many problems -- economic, environmental and ethnic. These problems are too complex and interconnected to be solved on an adversarial basis. We need to shift from an adversarial stance toward a cooperative, problem-solving one.

Tamara Paltin
Kahana, Maui

Guard members need newest equipment

This year members of the Hawaii Army National Guard's 29th Combat Brigade deploy to Kuwait. We are proud of their service, but are extremely concerned about their safety and welfare.

The men and women of this unit, who will devote one year of service to support Operation Iraqi Freedom, are our heroes. All of them will make personal sacrifices to carry out their military responsibilities.

While there are many views about the war, I think we can all agree that we need to provide our troops with the best possible equipment. Currently, the 299th Cavalry Regiment will provide convoy security from Kuwait to Baghdad. Unfortunately, they will not have the Army's newest and most sophisticated vehicle -- the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle -- but will be using the Up-Armored Humvee.

Given the recent security changes in southern Iraq, which include increased insurgent attacks, IED ambushes and roadside bombs, we are doing a disservice to the Guard by not providing members with the newly deployed V-hulled MRAP, which increases protection and survivability.

I encourage everyone, especially family and friends of the Guard members, to contact our congressional delegation, the governor and the Hawaii Army National Guard's leadership to make sure the units in harm's way are fully protected.

Richard M. Smylie
Hawaii Kai

Any Hawaii project can be postponed

All the adversaries of the mass-transit debate might want to pull back and take a deep breath and realize they all live in Hawaii where no decision large or small can't be postponed indefinitely.

Should the stadium be renovated/torn down/relocated? Let's postpone a decision. How about the Natatorium pool -- fixed/paved/abandoned and chained off -- let's hold off on that for the moment. Although the Waikiki sewer project's first phase was quickly completed, it was a matter of economic life or death; phase 2 has been on hold now for months.

Even the private sector is not immune. Ward Warehouse was constructed in that fashion so it could be quickly demolished and a new concept explored. Well, demolition plans for that mall have been announced and then pushed back over and over again. The new Ward vision might just come to fruition in the next 20 or 30 years.

Will ground be broken on the mass transit project before the second Chelsea Clinton administration? I somehow doubt it.

F. David Wagner
Honolulu

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